Election 2015 - BOE Candidate Profile: Michael Lyons

By KOREY WILSONHour Staff Writer

Published
4:45 pm EDT, Tuesday, October 27, 2015

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Election 2015 - BOE Candidate Profile: Michael Lyons

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NORWALK -- With school district finances in disarray, Michael Lyons made a decision several years ago to run for the Norwalk Board of Education while he was still a member of the city's Board of Estimate and Taxation.

"In six years on the Board of Estimate and Taxation, I had become astounded at how poorly managed the school system was from a financial perspective. Not only did we seem to lurch from financial crisis to financial crisis but when the representatives from the (BOE) would meet with us, nobody could answer our questions," said Lyons.

Lyons was elected to the Norwalk Board of Education in 2011, serving the last three years as the board's chairman. He is seeking a second term on the school board and will face Democratic challenger Lisa Nuzzo on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

In his first term, Lyons said he fulfilled his initial campaign pledge to straighten out the finances for the school system.

Two months into his first term on the BOE, school officials discovered a $4 million shortfall in the district's insurance fund, which led to a number of layoffs and disruptions across the district.

"That was my introduction to the school system. I found out that the finances of the school system were in even worse shape than I thought they were when I campaigned," he said.

Despite layoffs, Lyons convinced the school board to hire a Chief Financial Officer, which allowed the district to get its financial house in order.

"We were basically running a $150 million business with a bookkeeper," said Lyons.

"We went from deficits to running three straight surpluses. We ran surpluses while we were hiring back a whole lot of people that been laid off and expanded programs."

The school district's financial turnaround has also improved the relationship between the Board of Education and other city agencies, he said.

"By stabilizing the whole business side of the school system, it created the possibility for all of the other reforms we've been working on. Without finances, nothing else happens," said Lyons.

In addition to assisting with finances, some of Lyons' top accomplishments include providing leadership during rough times, and assisting in the district's adoptions of the Strategic Operating Plan and Common Core state standards.

"Despite the churning, I think the Norwalk schools right now may be in the best position they've been in decades to really achieve greatness," he said.

Lyons' goals for his second term is outlined in the platform he created with BOE candidates Joseph Perella and Bryan Meek called "Support, Build, Empower."

The goals include providing support for the Superintendent of Schools; building operational excellence in the areas of finance, special education and facilities; and creating School Governance Councils at all 19 schools.

Lyons, a product of Norwalk Public Schools, has had a long history with the district, having three children go through the school system.

"When my daughter, Krystina, graduated from Norwalk High in 2014, I've had one or more kids in the Norwalk schools continuously for 21 years. I've been involved in PTOs. I had been the head of the School Governance Council at Marvin School for several years. I've always had an interest in education from a personal perspective," he said.

Lyons holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Fairfield University, an MBA from Boston College and a juris doctor degree from Boston College School of Law.

He is currently an assistant general counsel at C.R. Bard, a medical manufacturer.

If re-elected for another four-year term, Lyons said he is interested in being chairman again but would not do it for more than one year.

"I think three years is a long time to be chairman of a board that big and a budget that big. It's like having a second job only without any pay. I'd be willing to consider one more year as chair to help out Dr. (Steven) Adamowski through his transition, but after that I think it would be time to step back and let somebody else do it," he said.

"It's been a surprisingly crazy four years, I didn't expect to be on my fifth superintendent before my term ended. Despite the craziness, we have come through it okay.

"I feel like I'm on an ocean liner that just went through a hurricane. The hurricane has blown out, the boat is still afloat, the engines are still running and we're getting closer and closer to the homeport. I feel honored to be on the board and I really feel that whether or not I win the election, the reforms I helped put in place will be moving forward either way."